A memorial held on Sunday for late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was described as "incredibly moving," with speeches made by his friends and family, and performances from world-renowned artists.

Among those who spoke at the event, according to The Wall Street Journal, were his widow Laurene Powell Jobs, sister Mona Simpson, and three of his children. Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison also spoke.

Citing two anonymous people who attended the event, the memorial also featured performances from cellist Yo Yo Ma, singer Joan Baez, and U2 lead singer Bono, who read lyrics from an iPad.

The mood wasn't entirely solemn, as one person reportedly said that many of the speakers cracked jokes about Jobs. A longer list of attendees, which included former U.S. President Bill Clinton, actor Tim Allen and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, was revealed earlier Monday.

Sunday's invite-only event was held at Stanford Memorial Church, and hundreds were said to have attended. Apple has planned another memorial for Jobs intended for employees at the company's Cupertino, Calif., campus for this Wednesday.

A smaller service for immediate family and friends of Jobs was held earlier this month, two days after he passed away on Oct. 5 after a long bout with cancer. Jobs was 56.

@SpamSandwich From what I heard he was Buddhist, but like you I can't confirm it either. In any case. I am not sure if I appreciate you suggesting him an atheist. Not being an Christian != Atheist. Based on this what you seem to say that Buddhist, Yiddish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. are atheist!

Steve described himself as a Buddhist, but didn't follow all the doctrine and dogmatic B.S.

Steve was so hands-on, he probably drew up the plans for his memorial service, decided how he wanted to be buried, etc. Heck, he probably personally selected the people on the guest list, picked who he wanted to speak, who would cater the reception, and almost everything about each of the events.

My guess is that he left instructions for dozens, possibly hundreds of other topics. His kids' education. His wife's future, including the possibility that she might remarry someday. What to do with the Jackling Estate property (there's probably a complete set of blueprints). How he would like to be remembered in future events (both Apple related and private things like family weddings). Charitable contributions, perhaps done anonymously which would continue Steve and Laurene's intense preference to privacy.

@SpamSandwich From what I heard he was Buddhist, but like you I can't confirm it either. In any case. I am not sure if I appreciate you suggesting him an atheist. Not being an Christian != Atheist. Based on this what you seem to say that Buddhist, Yiddish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. are atheist!

Believe me, I have nothing against atheists.

One clear indicator was Apple's tongue-in-cheek price for their first Apple computer... $666.66. Although, Woz denies any "biblical" reference.

I don't have anything to base this on either, but I always got the impression that while Steve may have dabbled in Buddhism when he was younger, that religion of any kind was not something that he was very concerned with.

That's still a very different thing from being atheist. Atheism is a religion, it's staking a position of faith in "not", rather than just not thinking about it one way or the other.

I'm very excited to get the biography when it comes out to see how much of that kind of personal stuff is revealed.

@SpamSandwich From what I heard he was Buddhist, but like you I can't confirm it either. In any case. I am not sure if I appreciate you suggesting him an atheist. Not being an Christian != Atheist. Based on this what you seem to say that Buddhist, Yiddish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. are atheist!

Steve was so hands-on, he probably drew up the plans for his memorial service, decided how he wanted to be buried, etc. Heck, he probably personally selected the people on the guest list, picked who he wanted to speak, who would cater the reception, and almost everything about each of the events.

Stanford Memorial Church is strictly non-denominational. It is not a Christian site. It was built to support the spiritual needs of the university, which is a completely secular educational institution. The church iconography is Christian, but they are really decorative aspects and were not installed to promote a specific dogmatic viewpoint.

Note that Steve is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, a non-denominational cemetery.

Stanford Memorial Church is strictly non-denominational. It is not a Christian site. It was built to support the spiritual needs of the university, which is completely secular.

Note that Steve is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, a non-denominational cemetery.

WRONG. The Stanfords were deeply Christian and at the same time tolerant of other related faiths.

From its site: "Today, regular multi-faith services are held in the church, in addition to denominational and nondenominational Christian services."

In summary, it is a inter/non-denominational church open to all but basically holding Christian services plus a number of Jewish services.

"Secular" means something that has no religious or spiritual basis - the SMC is the absolute opposite of that, with its main emphasis on Catholic and Protestant masses + Jewish services - just check their schedule.

If SJ's really wanted something secular, they would have done a memorial service at Apple's headquarters or the like, not a place of worship. The main photo of the church tells it all.

Well, he was surely raised as a Protestant Christian by his foster parents, but probably chose the path of Zen Budo et al at a later stage for self-enlightenment purposes.

This is probably the reason why the memorial service was held (thankfully) at a Christian site, since Laurene and the kids must somehow follow that faith.

Not only for self-enlightenment, since the awakening behind Buddhism compels a compassionate wish to assist others toward enlightenment. Consistent with the Jobsian program of changing the world.

The church is nondenominational, which could probably be updated to "ecumenical" or "unitarian" these days. No faiths excluded. (I think Buddhists have a faith, in enlightenment and the alleviation of suffering, but that's just my interpretation.)

@SpamSandwich From what I heard he was Buddhist, but like you I can't confirm it either. In any case. I am not sure if I appreciate you suggesting him an atheist. Not being an Christian != Atheist. Based on this what you seem to say that Buddhist, Yiddish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. are atheist!

I think you are reading a lot in there.

Also, it's much easier to read into your comments the fact that you seem to think there is something "wrong" with being an atheist.
Methinks thou dost protest too much.

There's nothing wrong with atheism. It's not a disease, it's the triumph of reason over superstition. I would maintain that there is more to admire about atheists than non-atheists.

Steve described himself as a Buddhist, but didn't follow all the doctrine and dogmatic B.S.

Steve was so hands-on, he probably drew up the plans for his memorial service, decided how he wanted to be buried, etc. Heck, he probably personally selected the people on the guest list, picked who he wanted to speak, who would cater the reception, and almost everything about each of the events.

My guess is that he left instructions for dozens, possibly hundreds of other topics. His kids' education. His wife's future, including the possibility that she might remarry someday. What to do with the Jackling Estate property (there's probably a complete set of blueprints). How he would like to be remembered in future events (both Apple related and private things like family weddings). Charitable contributions, perhaps done anonymously which would continue Steve and Laurene's intense preference to privacy.

You and your lame ass speculations aren't worth shit!

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." Douglas Adams

Well, he was surely raised as a Protestant Christian by his foster parents, but probably chose the path of Zen Budo et al at a later stage for self-enlightenment purposes.

Unlikely. That was something that was cool to do in the late 60s, early 70s. Being in a business such as Apple and also being a true Buddhist are probably mutually exclusive. From what little we have learned about what it was like working for Jobs it seems likely that he did not exactly follow the guidelines or principles.

Maybe you are just not communicating well but I find this highly offensive.

Highly offensive to whom?

So now I am required to withhold my faith just because you are an atheist? I am talking about them, not you - so if you are not one of them, you have no right to feel offended; I am just expressing my views.

So now I am required to withhold my faith just because you are an atheist? I am talking about them, not you - so if you are not one of them, you have no right to feel offended; I am just expressing my views. ....

No.

You strongly indicated that there was something wrong with not being Christian (twice!).
If someone did the same to you, you would no doubt be similarly offended.

At least with me I'm operating within the principles I believe in, whereas you are violating the very Christian principles you claim to believe in by looking down on the non-believers.

Atheism is based on reason and logic.
Buddhism (no offence to Buddhists), still has a lot of mysticism/ritual in it and in many places the Buddha himself is revered as a god.

Karma for instance is an irrational, magical concept.

Karma is actually the Law of Cause and Effect. Where the mysticism comes into it is the artificial construct of magnification of one action causing a threefold return of action, without any scientific validation of such a result.

If you punch me the odds are I'll deck you beck. Whether I knock you out and then two other actions come along to counter your initial action is not something one can scientifically verify will happen.

The initial cause may have your perceived original effect, but you have no control over the effect(s) resulting in your causal action.

Yup.
I'm neither Catholic nor Christian, but if I could have my send-off in Notre Dame Cathedral, I'd do it in a second.
The Stanford facility is beautiful, regardless of the team you think you're on.

Agreed and yes, being in a place that would create a sense of Ritual and impress upon a memory of the one you loved can never be misconstrued [by my position as an Agnostic] as being nothing more than a moment of connection between the deceased and those that loved them.

I would have assumed Jobs would have had a Buddhist ceremony, but I'm not 100% sure if he even was one. He certainly did not sound like a "Christian"... he sounded more like an atheist.

Most intellectuals are atheists, so it's surprising to think Steve might have believed in magic and the like. I suspect he was more interested in the meditation and calm aspects of budhism rather than any illogical belief in super powers and fairy tales.

Whatever he believed in though, holding a christian ceremony with all the unpleasant baggage that entails seems a perverse and disrespectful way to see him off.

Also, it's much easier to read into your comments the fact that you seem to think there is something "wrong" with being an atheist.
Methinks thou dost protest too much.

There's nothing wrong with atheism. It's not a disease, it's the triumph of reason over superstition. I would maintain that there is more to admire about atheists than non-atheists.

Yes, I see your point. But, Atheism always had negative connotation - which was sort of demonstrated by the original comment. By the way, Now you would claim that Devil-worshipping is okay too - They believe in some religion.

Anyway, don't want this blog to turn into non-sensical religious debate - especially when the topic is about Steve's memorial!